host: but go to dallas, texas, independent line. caller: is there a historical comparison to suppression. third-party votes as there is today? guest: i do not know what you mean about a suppression of the third-party voices. there have been the third party boys over there. for example, the debates, back when they were run by the league of women voters and now the league -- the debate commission. ross perot felt when he did not meet a certain threshold in the polls that he was not invited into the debates. there are any number of complaints that have been made over the years. it is tough for third-party to get on the ballot. let's be honest. the two major parties are aggressive in perpetuating themselves and they are not interested in fostering strong challengers. host: the history of money in campaigning. guest: it is a perennial issue. i hate to say that it is evergreen, but iwaith us. going back to 1996, that was an interesting election. -- 1896, he was very much the candidate of industry, business. william jennings bryan, a popul